1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to collapsible bags, and more particularly to a collapsible bag that is retainable in its collapsed position when not in use.
2. The Related Art
It has become increasingly common for individuals to carry collapsible bags in which items or articles can be carried or transported. The collapsible bags typically have hand or shoulder straps with which the bags are held. When the collapsible bags are not in use, they can be folded for storage. This is especially useful when an individual is travelling and may need more or different types of bags at the individual""s travel destination or may need additional bags either during the trip to or the trip back from the destination but not for the entire round trip.
The actual transport or storage of a collapsible bag by the individual, however, is often somewhat of an inconvenience. For example, collapsible bags are not typically designed to be maintained in their collapsed state. Thus, there is a tendency for the bags to unfold, especially when the luggage in which they are stored are subjected to the harsh treatment often endured by luggage during travel. Moreover, collapsible bags often lack a bottom of sufficiently rigid construction to provide form to the bottom of the bag. Collapsible bags with a sufficiently rigid bottom construction often hinder the ability of the bag to be folded into a retainably collapsed state which is not entirely satisfactory.
It is an object of the present invention to fulfill the foregoing and other needs of the prior art by the provision of a collapsible bag arrangement that is retainable in its collapsed state. It is a further object of the invention to provide a collapsible bag arrangement with a sufficiently rigid bottom to provide form to the bottom of the collapsible bag.
These and other objects of the present invention are obtained by providing a collapsible bag arrangement having a compartment for holding articles which has at least a first side, a second side and a bottom. At least the first and second sides are constructed of a foldable material. The compartment has an opening at the top. The bottom has an outside surface and an inside surface. A bottom strip has a middle portion, a first end portion and a second end portion. The middle portion is attached to the outside surface of the bottom of the compartment. The first and second end portions are of bendable construction and extend outward beyond the ends of the first and second sides. A two-piece fastener is included. The first piece of the two-piece fastener attaches to the first portion of the bottom strip and the second piece of the two-piece fastener attaches to the second portion of the bottom strip. The arrangement is such that the first and second sides of the compartment are foldable to conform generally to the size and shape of the bottom strip and the first and second sides and the bottom of the compartment and the bottom strip are bendable to permit removably fastening of the two-piece fastener so that the compartment is collapsed and maintained substantially within the perimeter of the bottom strip formed when the first and second portions of the bottom strip are fastened together.
In one aspect of the invention, the first piece of the two-piece fastener is attached to the first portion of the bottom strip on the side of the bottom strip attached to the compartment bottom and the second piece of the two-piece fastener is attached to the second portion of the bottom strip on the side of the bottom strip opposite the side of the bottom strip attached to the compartment bottom.
In another aspect of the invention, the collapsible bag arrangement further includes a second two-piece fastener. The first piece of the second two-piece fastener is substantially identical to the first piece of the first two-piece fastener and is attached to the second end portion of the bottom strip at a position substantially symmetrical to the position of the first piece of the first two-piece fastener that is attached to the first end portion. The second piece of the second two-piece fastener is substantially identical to the second piece of the first two-piece fastener and is attached to the compartment above the point where the bottom is attached to the middle portion at a distance approximately the same as the distance between the first piece of the second two-piece fastener and the point where the bottom is attached to the middle portion. An additional second piece of the first two-piece fastener is included which is substantially identical to the second piece of the first two-piece fastener. The additional second piece of the first two-piece fastener is attached to the compartment above the point where the bottom is attached to the middle portion at a distance approximately the same as the distance between the first piece of the second two-piece fastener and the point where the bottom is attached to the middle portion. In this arrangement, when the collapsible bag is not in a collapsed configuration, the first piece of the first two-piece fastener is removably fastened to the additional second piece of the first two-piece fastener and the first and second pieces of the second two-piece fastener are removably fastened together.
In another aspect of the invention, the two-piece fasteners are snaps and each snap includes a male piece and a female piece. The first piece may be the female piece.
In still another aspect of the invention, the collapsible bag arrangement also has a carrying handle attached to the compartment proximate to the opening at the top of the compartment for carrying the bag. The carrying handle includes a first strap having a first strap end and a second strap end. Each strap end of the first strap attached to the compartment is proximate to the top of the first side of the compartment. A second strap includes a first strap end and a second strap end. Each strap end of the second strap attaches to the compartment proximate to the top of the second side of the compartment.
In yet another aspect of the invention, the top of the first and second sides of the compartment includes a sealing arrangement, such as a zipper arrangement, for sealing the opening of the compartment.
In another aspect of the invention, the collapsible bag arrangement further includes a sealable pouch attached to the inside surface of at least one of the first and second sides of the compartment. The sealable pouch may include a pouch zipper arrangement.
In another aspect of the invention, the collapsible bag has a lanyard and a snap hook, wherein the lanyard is attached to the inside surface of the compartment at one end and to the snap hook at the other end.
In a further aspect of the invention, each strap end of the first and second straps is attached to the outside of the sides of the compartment at a distance from the top of the sides such that when the compartment is sealed, the distance along the compartment between the first strap end of the first strap and the first strap end of the second strap is approximately the same as the width of the bottom strip and the distance along the compartment between the second strap end of the first strap and the second strap end of the second strap is approximately the same as the width of the bottom strip. In another aspect of the invention, each strap end of the first and second straps is attached to the outside of the sides of the compartment at a distance from the top of the sides such that when the compartment is sealed, the distance along the compartment between the first strap end of the first strap and the first strap end of the second strap is less than the width of the bottom strip and the distance along the compartment between the second strap end of the first strap and the second strap end of the second strap is less than the width of the bottom strip.
In another aspect of the invention, the collapsible bag arrangement has a second two-piece fastener. The first piece of the second two-piece fastener is substantially identical to the first piece of the first two-piece fastener and is attached to the second end portion of the bottom strip at a position substantially symmetrical to the position of the first piece of the first two-piece fastener that is attached to the first end portion. The second piece of the second two-piece fastener is substantially identical to the second piece of the first two-piece fastener and is attached to the compartment above the point where the bottom is attached to the middle portion at a distance slightly less than the distance between the first piece of the second two-piece fastener and the point where the bottom is attached to the middle portion. An additional second piece of the first two-piece fastener is included which is substantially identical to the second piece of the first two-piece fastener. The additional second piece of the first two-piece fastener is attached to the compartment above the point where the bottom is attached to the middle portion at a distance slightly less than the distance between the first piece of the second two-piece fastener and the point where the bottom is attached to the middle portion. In this aspect of the invention, the first piece of the first two-piece fastener is removably fastened with the additional second piece of the first two-piece fastener and the first and second pieces of the second two-piece fastener are removably fastened when the collapsible bag is not in a collapsed configuration.
In still another aspect of the invention, the bottom strip includes an area for displaying a trademark when the compartment is collapsed and maintained substantially within the perimeter of the bottom strip.
In another aspect of the invention, a first end of the first side of the compartment is stitched to a first end of the second side of the compartment and a second end of the first side of the compartment is stitched to a second end of the second side of the compartment. In a still further aspect of the invention, the compartment is constructed of a single piece of fabric for the first and second sides and the bottom. In one aspect of the invention, the bottom of the compartment is stitched to the bottom strip.
In another aspect of the invention, a method for retaining a collapsible bag in a collapsed configuration is provided that includes folding the sides of the bag on one side of the bottom of the bag in a manner to conform the sides of the bag substantially to the shape and size of the bottom of the bag; bending the bottom of the bag such that a first end portion of the bottom of the bag overlaps a second end portion of the bottom of the bag and such that the sides of the bag reside substantially inside the bent bottom of the bag; and fastening the first and second end portions together.